Iowa's County Fairs - The culture of America's heartland

Every summer, each of Iowa’s 99 counties throws its own fair. Provincial and patriotic, with beauty pageants and demolition derbies, polka dances and daredevil shows, these rural exhibitions reflect the traditional values, and the countrified culture, of America's Heartland. Though sparsely attended compared to the better-known Iowa State Fair, these small-town gatherings are a source of pride for many Iowans. The fairs run from June through early September.
Photographer, Jim Lo Scalzo (EPA) shares a look.